A new analysis of archival data from NASA’s Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft reveals a sudden rise in nitrogen concentrations at about 50 km (31 miles) above the surface of Venus, demonstrating the planet’s atmosphere isn’t uniformly mixed.
Mercury is small, fast and close to the sun, making the rocky world challenging to visit. Only one probe has ever orbited the planet and collected enough data to tell scientists about the chemistry and landscape of Mercury’s surface. Learning about what is beneath the surface, however, requires careful estimation.
A new study led by Brown University planetary researchers adds three new large members to the list of water ice-filled craters near Mercury’s north pole and shows evidence that smaller-scale deposits scattered around the north pole; those deposits may be small, but they could add up to a lot more previously unaccounted-for ice.
New analysis of observations made by NASA’s MESSENGER mission reveal where the solar system’s innermost planet’s water ice is but not where it’s from.
